title: Aurora kinase A (AURKA) expression in colorectal cancer liver metastasis is associated with poor prognosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Five-year survival after resection of colorectal cancer liver metastasis (CRLCM) is <30%. We recently found that aurora kinase A (AURKA) drives 20q gain-associated tumour progression and is associated with disease recurrence. This study evaluates the prognostic value of AURKA expression in CRCLM of patients who underwent liver resection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tissue microarrays (TMAs) were generated using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded CRCLM and matched primary tumour from a multi-institutional cohort of patients with CRCLM who underwent liver resection between 1990 and 2010. Tissue microarrays were stained for AURKA using immunohistochemistry, and a hazard rate ratio (HRR) for the association between overall survival (OS) and nuclear AURKA expression in CRCLM was calculated. Results were validated by 500-fold cross-validation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression of AURKA was evaluated in CRCLM of 343 patients. High AURKA expression was associated with poor OS (HRR 1.55, P<0.01), with a cross-validated average HRR of 1.57 (P=0.02). Average HRR was adjusted for the established prognostic clinicopathological variables in a multivariate analysis (average HRR 1.66; P=0.02). The expression of AURKA in CRCLM was correlated to its expression in corresponding primary tumour (P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expression of AURKA protein is a molecular biomarker with prognostic value for patients with CRCLM, independent of established clinicopathological variables.
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Pathology, VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam HV 1081, The Netherlands [2] Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam HV 1081, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J A C M
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Goos
authors.forename: V M H
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Coupe
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Diosdado
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Delis-Van Diemen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Karga
authors.forename: J A M
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Beliën
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: van den Tol
authors.forename: H M W
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Verheul
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Geldof
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Meijer
authors.forename: O S
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Hoekstra
authors.forename: R J A
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Fijneman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D064096:Aurora Kinase A / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C576917:AURKA protein, human; D064096:Aurora Kinase A